Automotive Design Studios Envision Law Enforcement's Road
Ahead

Winner of the 9th Annual LA Auto Show Design
Challenge to be announced Nov. 29

LOS ANGELES--Nov. 15, 2012: The pace of change in society
accelerates every year, with breakthrough technologies and rapidly
developing countries constantly rewriting the rules in a global economy. As
part of the 9th annual LA Auto Show Design Challenge, the
world's top auto designers have envisioned a future with even more crowded
roads, electronically monitored and controlled traffic and significant
changes in human behavior. This year's highly competitive field of major
auto manufacturer design studios have created the ultimate law enforcement
patrol vehicle for the year 2025. From drone technology to observe, pursue
and engage from the land and air, to renewable resource-fueled vehicles
equipped with topographical scanners, this year's entries are designed with
an entirely new set of considerations to effectively navigate dynamic urban
environments.

Design studios from BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and
Subaru have accepted the challenge to use their innovation and insight to
explore creative solutions centered to meet the challenge of a new highway
system as they contend for this annual design honor. The winning design
will be announced Nov. 29 during an event at
the LA Auto Show Press Days.

Judging criteria will be based upon various factors including:
consideration of future needs for advanced technology; speed and agility on
future freeway systems; creativity of the solution; meeting a specific
region's emission standards; and environmental sensitivity, including
maintenance and recyclability.

2012 Design Challenge entries include:

BMW Group DesignworksUSA - The BMW Group DesignworksUSA team
chose Los Angeles as the region to create
a 2025 scenario for the E-Patrol (Human-Drone Pursuit Vehicle). Their
research predicted that Los Angeles would
have more traffic, faster vehicles and vehicles with alternative fuel
sources. The design centered on a modular structure and drone technology
that enhanced both teamwork and accessibility. The main structure can
deploy three drones. In the case of a pursuit during heavy traffic areas,
the patrol officer sitting in the two passenger main structure can deploy
either the flying drone or one of the single wheel drones to chase the
suspect and report back data to the main structure.

General Motors Advanced Design California - General Motors has
created a new electric vehicle system, the Volt Squad, to meet the
challenge of a highway system now brimming with cutting edge
technologies. The Volt Squad is a three vehicle fleet, designed around
the concept of OBSERVE, PURSUE and ENGAGE. Each vehicle has a
clearly defined situational role; delivering superior flexibility, presence
and capability for the CHP. At the core of the vehicle's architecture is
the VOLT advanced, electronic, propulsion system.

Honda R&D Americas, Inc., Advanced Design Studio, California - Honda Advanced Design has
created the CHP Drone Squad, a vehicle-based-system for 2025 designed to
work efficiently and seamlessly in the harsh environment of California highways without the need for new
infrastructure. The Drone Squad is comprised of a 2 vehicle system. The
Auto-Drone operates as a manned or un-manned mission control vehicle which
deploys Moto-Drones and can do so on the move. Moto-Drones are un-manned
motorcycles capable of being rigged for multiple response or rescue
missions.

Honda R&D Company, Ltd., Advanced Design Studio, Tokyo - Honda
R&D Japan's"CHiPs" 2025 Traffic Crawler offers key features that the
central office of the California Highway
Patrol needs as they adjust to changes in the traffic environment in 2025
where, in addition to conventional traffic problems, vehicles freed from
environmental constraints are getting bigger. Despite the transition period
to safe automatic driving, the traffic environment is again becoming
confusing and challenging as California
resumes its once flourishing car culture. In response to the need for
strict traffic enforcement, Honda designed a new patrol vehicle that offers
sporty mobility with the toughness to respond in severe traffic
situations.

Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc.: Advanced
Design Center California - By 2025, law enforcement officers will
need to adapt to even more crowded roads with electronically monitored and
controlled traffic, a much larger population, and changes in human
behavior. As the most environmentally friendly SUV, the "Mercedes-Benz
Ener-G-Force" meets these requirements and helps police and crews around
the world. In terms of design, the Ener-G-Force is based on the G-Class;
the off-road icon that has been in production since the 1970s, and
continues to shape the future as a structurally and technologically
advanced SUV.

Entries will be judged by Tom Matano,
executive director, School of Industrial Design at San Francisco's Academy of
Art University; Imre Molnar, provost
and chief academic officer at Detroit's
College for Creative Studies; and Stewart Reed, chair of Transportation Design at
Pasadena's Art Center
College of Design. This year's guest judge, Bruce Meyer, is a board member of the California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation,
former racer and past chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

The LA Auto Show Design Challenge is sponsored by Faurecia, the world's
sixth-largest automotive supplier specializing in automotive seating,
emissions control technologies, interior systems and auto exteriors, as
well as Yokohama Tire, which works closely with auto manufacturers in the
U.S., Europe and Japan to develop tires for the latest concept
vehicles. Other sponsors that make Design Los Angeles possible include
the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), Lacks Enterprises,
Inc., Dassault Systemes, Eastman, Autodesk and Bose.

About the Design Challenge

The Design Challenge takes place annually during the LA Auto Show Press
Days, Nov. 28-29, 2012. For each of the past
nine years, a new Design Challenge theme is chosen and the major automotive
design studios showcase their talents, competing against one another to
further explore new ideas in automotive design. The LA Auto Show Press Days
hosts the largest gathering of design professionals in North America for a variety of design-focused
activities including a Designers' Night party that brings together design
industry leaders from around the world.

The Design Challenge has received rave reviews from journalists and
extensive media exposure throughout Asia,
Europe and the Americas. More information,
including images, is available at LA Auto Show Design Challenge.